Death toll at 18 in Tanzania building collapse

By ALI SULTAN , Associated Press

Mar. 30, 20139:30 AM ET

ZANZIBAR, Tanzania (AP) — At least 18 people were killed when a building collapsed Friday in Tanzania's largest city, Dar es Salaam and hopes have dimmed of rescuing more survivors, a municipal official said Saturday.

Khalfan Said

Rescuers from the Tanzania Red Cross carry away a body from the rubble of a collapsed building in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Friday, March 29, 2013. A Tanzanian police official says the multi-storey building was in the final stages of its construction and most of the people caught up in the collapse were passing by. (AP Photo/Khalfan Said)

Rescuers from the Tanzania Red Cross carry away a body from the rubble of a collapsed building in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Friday, March 29, 2013. A Tanzanian police official says the multi-storey building was in the final stages of its construction and most of the people caught up in the collapse were passing by. (AP Photo/Khalfan Said)

Rescuers using mechanical diggers remove rubble from the site of a collapsed building in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Friday, March 29, 2013. A Tanzanian police official says the multi-storey building was in the final stages of its construction and most of the people caught up in the collapse were passing by. (AP Photo/Khalfan Said)

A rescuer guides the hook of a crane as it prepares to remove pieces of rubble from a collapsed building in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Friday, March 29, 2013. A Tanzanian police official says the multi-storey building was in the final stages of its construction and most of the people caught up in the collapse were passing by. (AP Photo/Khalfan Said)

A rescuer looks across as she works amongst the rubble of a collapsed building in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Friday, March 29, 2013. A Tanzanian police official says the multi-storey building was in the final stages of its construction and most of the people caught up in the collapse were passing by. (AP Photo/Khalfan Said)

Rescuers from the Tanzania Red Cross carry away a body from the rubble of a collapsed building in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Friday, March 29, 2013. A Tanzanian police official says the multi-storey building was in the final stages of its construction and most of the people caught up in the collapse were passing by. (AP Photo/Khalfan Said)

In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers search for survivors at the building collapse site in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Friday, March 29, 2013. A Tanzanian police official says two people have died after a building under construction collapsed in the country's largest city and economic center. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Zhang Ping) NO SALES

In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers remove debris at the site of a building collapse site in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Friday, March 29, 2013. A Tanzanian police official said two people have died after the building under construction collapsed in the country's largest city and economic center. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Zhang Ping) NO SALES

Poor equipment hampered efforts to rescue more than 60 people believed to be trapped under the rubble, Dar es Salaam commissioner Said Siddiq said by telephone. At least 17 people, three seriously injured, were pulled out of the debris Friday.

Officials said construction work on the building, located on one of the busiest streets in Tanzania's commercial center, was about to be completed and that the structure did not have tenants. Most of the people caught in the collapse of the 12-story building were laborers as well as those passing by or loitering nearby. Some witnesses said dozens of construction workers and food vendors were in the building when it collapsed Friday morning and that scores of children were playing soccer in a nearby playground. Others said more than 200 casual laborers and engineers worked on the building regularly.

Siddiq said three engineers who worked on the building had been taken into custody for questioning. In recent years building collapses have become frequent in East African countries as some property developers bypass regulations to cut costs.

Dar es Salaam police have halted work on a 16-story building that was being built adjacent to the one that collapsed, saying the construction project needs to be reviewed. Both buildings have the same owner.

ZANZIBAR, Tanzania (AP) — At least 18 people were killed when a building collapsed Friday in Tanzania's largest city, Dar es Salaam and hopes have dimmed of rescuing more survivors, a municipal official said Saturday.